


dust

by Cân Cennau (gwenynnefydd)



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Caring, Fluff, Hair Washing, Other, care taking, mae nhw'n hoyw ffrindiau :3, ormod o fflwff i bod yn onest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 20:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17905352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwenynnefydd/pseuds/C%C3%A2n%20Cennau
Summary: Kelas gets caught in a dust storm. Elim knows exactly what to do.





	dust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thoroughly_inktroverted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoroughly_inktroverted/gifts).



> if anyone's wondering, I am thoroughly gay for kelas parmak, and i'm especially gay for thoroughly_introverted's kelas art. especially that hair. :D so i thought i'd write a little something involving their kp and their hair :3

Cardassia is hot, and given that it's the peak of summer, it's even hotter. The dust storms roll in with alarming regularity, whipping at parked skimmers and at the faces of Cardassians who were now swearing at themselves for leaving their masks inside them. In Coranum, at the top of the hill, it was worse - with the dust and the high winds, walking through the streets at this time of afternoon was a deathwish. Kelas, unfortunately, had not thought of this when they set off for their morning shift at the clinic - with some amount of optimism, they'd left their mask at home, and hopped on the tram to work. By the time they'd come home, they showed all the signs of someone who'd been caught in the dust - coughing, eyes streaming, nose black and hair filled with so many dust grains that it was nearly turning from its usual white to the brown it was in their youth.

"You should've remembered your mask, and your hood." Elim tutted, the moment stepped into the kitchen. "Do you need a soother for your throat?"

"Yes, please." Kelas croaked, their throat chafing as they spoke. "And maybe a sonic shower to get all this dust out."

"The dust wont come out with a sonic - we'll have to do it the old fashioned way." He pulled a stool across to the kitchen sink, and patted it. "Sit. I'll get you your things."

Kelas smiled in thanks, before settling on the stool with a sigh of relief. As Elim bustled around the kitchen, replicating this and that, Kelas carefully stripped off their outer clothes, and stacked them in a pile on the kitchen counter. They shut their eyes, and let their long white hair lie heavily in the kitchen sink. The exhaustion of the day had seeped into Kelas' old saurian bones, and they didn't even open their eyes when Elim pressed the soother to their lips, only humming lightly as he popped the sweet into their mouth. The sweet was slightly sour, but good on their throat, and Kelas happily sucked on it as they listened to Elim run the water from the tap, feeling the tug of their hair getting heavier with water and the splatter of the spray hit their ears. Elim was humming as he worked, working the strands until they were soaking wet, before cupping some water in their palms and pouring it over Kelas' scalp. The feel of the cold water on their sun-scaled scales made them yelp, and they cracked one eye open to peer at Elim.

"That's cold." they pouted, and Elim laughed.

"Would you prefer it hotter?" Kelas thought for a moment. "No. It was just... surprising."

Elim nodded, and Kelas shut their eyes and went back to relaxing. Elim was more careful with the next few handfuls of water, allowing Kelas' scalp to acclimatize to the temperature. It was rather soothing, Kelas thought, against their heated scales, with the water soothing them and washing away all the irritating dust particles. Their thick, wavy hair tended to be a pain to wash properly, but Elim had been doing this for long enough to know how to treat it, and how to unstick and untangle the dust matts that it tended to attract. After a few moments, Kelas heard a slight pop, and the scent of sweet _merhllaa_ nuts hit their nose - their usual hair oil, which Elim carefully worked into the white strands. Kelas hummed when Elim moved to massage their scalp with the oil, drawing a slow groan as the tension headache that had been humming at the back of their mind dissipated.

"Good?" Elim asked.

Kelas only murmured in reply, boneless and happy. Elim continued to care for Kelas' hair for the next few minutes, massaging the oil into their hair and head, before combing through the waves with a wide-toothed comb. Soon enough, Kelas was encouraged to sit up, as Elim tied a towel around their hair and twisted into a turban. Their hair felt much better, silky soft and clean, and the dust particles were no longer irritating their hair follicles. They had expected that to be the end of it, but Elim placed on hand on ther shoulder to stop them from rising. They opened their eyes, curious, until Elim showed them a small buffing brush, with short bristles ideal for getting the dust from out of all the cracks and crevices that came with scales. Gently, Elim began to carefully brush their scales with gentle circular motions, dislodging all the dirt that had built up there after Kelas' misadventure in the dust storm.

"Very thorough." they murmured between brushes. Elim met their eyes, face affectionate and soft.

"When wouldn't I enjoy the occasion to look after the one I love most?"

Kelas drew them into a gentle kiss, contented.


End file.
